Banbury Turf Direct

Oxfordshire Turf & Topsoil Specialists

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Laying Turf

Another lawn installed.

Your Guide To Laying Turf

While we’re happy to install your new lawn for you, many of our clients opt to take on the challenge. Laying turf doesn’t require a PhD or vast experience in the industry. It does, however, demand physical fitness and attention to detail. This guide will walk you through the process roll by roll.

Preparation

Before laying turf the ground needs to be prepared. This means the lawn needs a healthy and level foundation of topsoil. While ordering in new topsoil isn’t always necessary, a good base can help your turf become established and thrive for seasons to come.

Assuming the ground is prepared the tools you’ll need for the laying process include planks, a turf knife, gloves and finally a sprinkler or hose.

Fitting Turf

Not all lawns are equal. Some have a natural incline, others are set in the shade and finally there are gardens with an irregular shape that demand patience and a trusty turf knife.

Whatever the shape, rectangle, triangle or curved at the border it’s crucial you establish a straight line. Once you’ve created this line you can develop momentum. If you have a helping hand, ask her to position the rolls at the end of the last or ready to create a parallel line.

All the while you should be making use of the planks to avoid walking on the turf or disturbing the soil too much. Tuck the turves of the turf tightly alongside the next and use the turf knife to fashion the edges. In any job, there is some wastage. For this reason we suggest clients should make an allowance and order an additional 5%.

After Care

After the last roll is unfurled you can rest and take pride in the finish. A new lawn can dramatically enhance the appearance, ecology and expanse of a garden. But before you walk away there are some after care fundamentals you need to observe.

Turf is united by roots and rhizomes. For this process to occur hydration is crucial. For an hour a day over the next week you should use a garden hose or sprinkler to ensure your turf becomes established. Failure to do so may result in shrinkage and your investment will wither away.

To lay or not to lay? We hope this guide has helped you make a decision. Either way, for turf in Banbury contact our friendly customer service team today. We pride ourselves on offering the best VFM landscaping service in Oxfordshire.

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Turf After Care

This post is dedicated to the care of freshly laid turf and addresses just a few of our customers FAQ’s. The immediate days and weeks of laying a new lawn are vital. Too little water and your turf may wither and shrink. Too much footfall and your lawn may suffer, becoming patchy and uneven. By following the steps in this article, your lawn will continue to look as fresh and vibrant for months and years to come. 

The First 7 Day’sTurf Care

When turf is first laid homeowners, and particularly children, are eager to enjoy it. However, any amount of time spent playing outdoors will eventually result in wear and tear. Turf is bound laterally by rhizomes and drawn to the earth by its roots. Allow your turf to become established and, when possible, avoiding setting foot on it for the first 7 days. 

The next step is to ensure your lawn receives adequate hydration. As a general rule, there is no such thing as too much water. You’ll want to use a sprinkler or hosepipe to douse the lawn liberally over the first week. During this period you’ll want to assess the turves to ensure they’re knitting together. Signs of shrinkage or discolouration are often the first signs of dehydration. This is particularly important during the summer. 

Finally stay in touch with your turf contractor lest other issues arise. Your investment in home and garden improvement should tell for years to come.  A professional contractor will allay your concerns and offer ongoing advice. At Banbury Turf we strive to ensure our customers are proud of their lawn, not just today, for seasons to come. 

Future blog posts will be dedicated to other customer FAQ’s, including How To Lay Turf and use Topsoil. If you have further inquiries please email or contact us on the number above.

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Turf Vs Artificial Grass

Turf Direct install artificial grass and lawn turf in Banbury and across Oxfordshire. While growing and supplying turf remains the foundation of our business, we’ve diversified our range of trades in recent years. Today we supply and lay turf and offer a raft of landscaping services including artificial grass.

This cost/benefit analysis will briefly summarize the cost, maintenance and environmental factors our clients consider when reviewing turf vs artificial grass. In the meantime, if you’d like a quote for artificial grass in Banbury please visit our dedicated page.

Cost

A typical turf job will cost hundreds. In contrast, a typical artificial grass job will often cost thousands. While costs vary among landscapers, to supply and lay turf will often cost north of £6m2. Artificial grass will cost at least £80m2. Artificial grass requires more preparation. Firms will often hire a mini digger, and apply sharp sand to aid drainage.

Many homeowners argue this cost is offset by the time or money they save in ongoing lawn care. Be wary of firms who install artificial lawns at low prices. Many are able to do so because they use inadequate materials or avoid sourcing them at all. We’d had to fix many such jobs over the years.

Maintenance

Perhaps the principal benefit of artificial grass is the ease of maintenance it affords our clients. While fake grass does require some maintenance it’s minimal in contrast to a traditional lawn. Artificial grass requires a brush or hose to clear the area of debris. It may also benefit from weed killer on an annual basis.

Environmental

While ‘Net Zero’ is a topical issue, many clients are more concerned with aesthetics and a low maintenance lawn. However, a positive environmental footprint is one of the core benefits of turf. Turf, like trees and plants, absorbs C02 and releases oxygen into the atmosphere. A healthy lawn benefits wildlife, and for many, enhances a personal sense of well being.

We’ll let you be the judge. To learn more about our grades of turf and artificial grass, or for a no obligation quote, please contact Banbury Turf Direct today.

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Summer Lawn Care

2018 has been a year of seasonal extremes. As Spring set in the UK was beset by record rainfall and snow. In the height of summer heat waves, droughts and hosepipe bans are making headlines in the media. While bans are yet to be enforced in Oxfordshire, millions have been hit in the North West this year.

As seasoned landscapers we’ve weathered these storms before. This post will address just a few of the FAQ’s our Banbury Turf clients ask us under the sun. These include:

Should I buy turf during a heat wave?

How often do I water my lawn over the summer?

Will there be a hosepipe ban this year?

Buying Turf

Turf is resilient and will grow under heavy rain and record temperatures. Whether you’re a groundsmen at Wimbledon or a residential home owner you can follow common sense steps to ensure your lawn endures.

Water Your Lawn

Watering your lawn an hour a day will typically suffice after laying new turf. However, if you’re faced with record breaking temperatures you’ll want to ensure that your lawn is subject to regular spot-checks. Signs your lawn are dehydrated include turf shrinkage, gaps between the turves and changes in colour.

In this event you’ll want to increase your water usage accordingly. However, this can be a challenge in lieu of governments raising the prospect of hose-pipe bans.

An illustration of water waste.

Some environmentalists are quick to point out the hypocrisy of ministers. Agricultural farming, they note, wastes far more water than watering a lawn. If ministers insist on hosepipe bans, they argue, they should also encourage their constituents to eat less meat.

It’s also worth noting turf has a broadly positive effect on the environment. Lawn turf releases oxygen, absorbs CO2 and improves drainage to protect your garden against flooding.

Mowing

What’s the optimal mowing height over the summer? While the grass courts of Wimbledon are cut at an optimum playing height of 8mm during the Championships, through the rest of the summer the groundsmen heed to the heat.

Their advice is ours; During the dry and hot weather conditions raise your mower a notch. Doing so will prevent the sun from scorching the soil resulting in damage to your newly laid lawn. This can include gaps appearing between the rolls and discolouration.

Did this post address your question? Whether you’re an old or prospective client, don’t hesitate to contact us with your queries.

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Introducing Our New Website

Turf SuppliersAfter more than 2 years of service, we’ve decided to retire our old website. We hope our website is easier to navigate, both on the desktop and mobile, and showcases the best of our services. Explore the links and please contact us if you have further questions.